English News

Recently, I have read Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, and have realized that there are many different aspects between Christianity and the Umuofians. I have realized that especially their laws had many differences as well as similarities. Women have less control and power than men do in Christianity, but it’s not as extreme as in Umuofia. Divorce is badly seen, especially for women. “everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.” Committing murder, especially murdering your neighbors are something that’s not allowed in Christianity. “shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgement.” (Matthew 5:21)

“You shall not murder”. (The ten commandments)“Let those who question it examine the results impartially”, because there cannot be a bias when the law is under survey. This is because the law must always be enforced properly and justly. (Justification of British Colonization in Africa). Men are considered superior to women, and It is not illegal to hit and “punish” your wife. They also have to pay their wife’s bride price for marriage considering women as objects for sale. WOmen don’t have any say during trials, their male family members will talk on their behalf. “And when she returned, he beat her very heavily. (29)”

Killing another man in the clan could lead to exile, and the other men in the clan will burn down properties and animals. “It was a crime against the earth goddess to kill a clansman, and a man who committed it must flee from the land.”(136) The egwugwu have full authority during trials. They are also considered ancestral spirits. Men like Okonkwo are in the middle of the circle, while the least important people (women) are on the outside of the circle which the trial is holding place. Because they have different environments and their laws apply to their environment. Gender Inequality: In both contexts, women are seen as lesser than men because they are not as strong and are supposed to take care of what goes on at home, like cooking dinner and taking care of the children. Both religions believe in punishment as a way of discipline. Although the type of punishments are different, the idea is similar. In Christianity, if laws are broken, then you are committing a sin and this is very closely related to morals and the idea of heaven and hell. On the other hand, in Umuofia, the laws revolve more around traditions and culture. There is nothing we can do to change this, because it is just how the people run their clan/society and it is based a lot on their environment. The “watchdog group” should try to slowly introduce the two societies, and help them accept those differences. They could explain both of the religions and educate one another.